Desert Rose
by Jo2
Summary: Watcher Wheel Challenge - A Watcher falls in love with an Immortal


WATCHER WHEEL: Desert Rose  
By JoLayne  
EnyaJo@aol.com  
  
Lyrics to "Desert Rose" by Sting belong to Sting, not me. They were  
given to me by Marianne as part of the Watcher Wheel Challenge begun  
by Amand-r. Sting's beautiful lyrics appear at the end of the story.  
Thanks Marianne for the marvelous lyrics to work with on my first lyric  
wheel!   
  
The concept of Immortality and Duncan MacLeod doesn't belong to me  
either, shucks!   
  
This is first person past and present. Hope it's not too confusing.   
  
  
DESERT ROSE  
  
Time. They have all the time in the world. Meanwhile, my job has been  
watching them for almost 30 years. Time is a precious commodity that's  
slowly diminishing my mortal physique. As I lie here, my heart is heavy.  
My mind is in a whirl. I can do nothing but look back at the best part of  
my life.  
  
My career. It started back in the late 60's when I was a Life photographer  
in Pamplona, Spain, to capture the beastly frenzy that went along with  
the Running of the Bulls. Even though I had just filmed that madness, I  
was in for a shock of what was truly amazing, jarring. It was a sight and a  
lifestyle that mere mortals had no idea even existed.   
  
In the dark of night, in a remote area on the way to my hotel, I came  
across a sword fight between a man and a woman. Since I always had  
film in my clunky camera, and shot the whole encounter. The ending  
was grotesque, yet astonishing. A man lost his head and a woman got  
the shock of her life, I thought at the time. I came to know that what is  
called a Quickening wasn't new to her.  
  
As the lithe woman stumbled away from the headless corpse, I was  
determined to catch up with her. I needed to hold that murderer for the  
police, there had to be some justice in the world. She'd just killed a man  
in a barbaric, antiquated way. Before I could, a hand gripped my  
shoulder letting the woman escape. I realized then that nothing was as  
it seemed. The world suddenly had no order.  
  
The man who held me was a Watcher and explained what I had just  
witnessed purely by happenstance. Through him, I was introduced to  
the Watcher system and it's history, bylaws and purpose. I had a simple  
choice to make: join them, or stay quiet about what I saw. If I chose to do  
neither, I would be executed. My film was confiscated for use in their  
files. They insisted on complete secrecy, Immortality must be protected.  
After what I had witnessed and the astounding story I was told, I  
couldn't say no. Within a year, I was a full-fledged field Watcher.   
  
I saw that woman again, that desert rose. She looked so normal, so...  
human. In my mind, before knowing the truth and observing Immortals  
vie for the 'Prize', I had decided who the heros were, who the villainess  
clearly was. That female Immortal, the victor of the first challenge I'd  
ever witnessed was the one to fear. But I was wrong.  
  
Pilar is her name. That desert flower.   
  
Whether the Watchers didn't realize what they were doing or they were  
just filling a need as Pilar's Watcher had died in a car accident, they  
assigned me to her. During the first weeks of cataloguing her covertly, I  
came to realize that the male she conquered was the challenger, the  
rogue. Pilar was protecting herself and her village.  
  
I saw her with her family, with her 90 year old mother, Adoncia. With  
Pilar's by- then 70 year old step-sister, husband and offspring. I saw Pilar  
with the children of her village. That sweet desert rose. She slowly but  
surely became the love of my life.  
  
With her every movement, so fluid, so graceful, she captivated me. From  
her long black hair that always held a freshly picked flower in it's braid,  
to her petite, thin frame, she was the most beautiful creature I had ever  
laid eyes on. I heard her serenading voice for the first time when I sat  
across a caf‚ from Pilar and who I knew was her grand-niece, although  
I'm sure the young woman was oblivious to that fact. With every passing  
day, the need to just simply talk to her grew. Soon, the thought of taking  
another breath outside her presence was too much to bear, even  
though it was definitely against the rules.  
  
Before I could work up the courage to forsake my oath and make my  
presence known to her, Pilar fell. She was carrying a sack of rice from the  
supply truck to her restaurante and stumbled over a rock. The flower  
that was pinned in her hair flew. I bolted out from behind a building to  
help her to her feet, even though I knew she would heal if she was  
injured.   
  
When my hand touched her arm to help her to her feet, pulses of  
electricity flowed through my body as I was finally able to caress my  
ideal. I was so close to her. I could smell her. It took all the strength I  
could muster not to sweep her into my arms and make all my wishes  
come true.  
  
Pilar came off the ground laughing at herself for losing her dignity and  
not seeing that rock that had been there since before she was born. Her  
laugh was the call of angels. After reading her chronicle many times, I  
knew she had been alive for 70 years, and had parted ways with her  
teacher 20 years before. She came back to the village as a distant cousin,  
after making sure the village and her family had heard the tragic news,  
that Pilar was dead, years before. I wondered if her mother, Adoncia,  
realized the young woman who would forever look 18 and arrived back  
in her home village was truly the daughter she found and raised to  
womanhood.  
  
When Pilar got to her feet, and thanked me for my ayuda, assistance, she  
hid her scraped hand and made sure her skirt covered her knees so I  
couldn't see the magical healing process make her skin once again  
pristine. She had no idea I knew more about her than she probably knew  
about herself. That I had dreamt about her each and every night. Those  
dreams were tied to a horse that would never tire. Seeing her up close, I  
was even more amazed at her unpretentious beauty.  
  
I helped her recover as much of the rice as we could and brought it into  
the restaurante, the first time I ever stepped into the establishment. Her  
adopted family was more worried about her fall than the loss of over half  
of the supply of rice for the month. When I offered to drive Pilar into the  
city for some more, I was exhilarated that they all thought that was a  
wonderful idea.  
  
That was the real beginning. The beginning of us. During that trip to  
replenish the rice and not having to make myself invisible to her any  
longer, we did a lot of talking and became fast friends. I knew she was  
keeping a secret that she wanted to, but couldn't, tell me. I had two  
secrets to tell her. One, I was her Watcher, and two, I was hopelessly in  
love with her.  
  
One night, while on a long quiet walk with Pilar, I blurted out that I  
wanted to marry her. It surprised us both as we had not yet even kissed.  
During the immediate silence that followed those two words, "Marry  
me", I knew I would have a hard time explaining it to my superiors. But it  
felt right. I didn't care. I couldn't live without that woman.  
  
Pilar turned me down flat. She told me point blank that she would never  
marry as she couldn't have children, as if that was the most important  
thing to me. But then, she hooked her fingers around my hand and  
asked if it would be alright if we just stayed amigos, not think about  
tomorrow. "Viva para hoy," was her motto. It was strange for that to be  
her mantra, as she had so many tomorrows in front of her.  
  
To say I was disappointed she shut down my plans was certainly an  
understatement as instantly, I had gotten used to having taken our  
relationship to a higher plane with that simple plea of 'marry me'. She  
told me that I was a very important part of her life, but marriage wasn't a  
possibility. Something was better than nothing, so we lived as amigos  
for another year, while I posed as a chef for the restaurante and quietly  
added my reports to her chronicle.   
  
Adoncia's heart and body finally gave out that year while she was  
sleeping. Pilar's main tie to that village had unwound. That was the  
turning point for us because she clung to me in her grief. It was Pilar  
that made the first move that rapturous night we spent together. For  
her, it may have been an act of desperation to retain a form of familial  
connection, but for me, that night was an explosion of a deep seated  
requirement.   
  
From that night on, for the next 28 years, Pilar and I lived and roamed  
and loved. I didn't tell her what I was. She only admitted her secret of  
Immortality to me after a decade when my hair grew grey, my face grew  
'character' and she retained the youthful beauty of a freshly opened  
flower. I made my reports on her. I worried when she got into tight  
situations with other Immortals. Pilar was under the impression that I  
had a wealthy father who left me funds in his will, but it was actually  
Watcher money supporting us. My expenses had always been  
reimbursed, no questions asked. Over the years, we traveled the world.  
  
After Pilar's blade was chipped during a challenge that she did accept,  
knowing she would come out the victor, she needed a new one. Pronto.  
We went to the nearest city and found an antique shop to purchase one.  
A pleasant, beautiful French woman showed us all blades they had for  
sale. Then Pilar tightened, as if the breath was sucked out of her lungs. It  
could only mean one thing, another Immortal was around. A tall dark  
haired man hovered in the doorway looking us over. Pilar tended to stay  
away from others like her, but never ran from a challenge. That day, she  
wasn't looking for a fight and stated that to the Immortal.   
  
Duncan MacLeod smiled and relaxed, was a charming salesman, but I  
could tell he kept an eye on every movement Pilar made in his presence.  
Over time, we became friends with Duncan and Tessa. We mourned for  
her loss. We were able to welcome Richie Ryan into the world of  
Immortality. Then mourned his passing.  
  
My body started to give out. First I got a sinus infection that wouldn't  
clear up, then came a hacking cough, then a tightness in my chest,  
fatigue. Pilar insisted that I had to see a doctor, who told me the truth. I  
had lung cancer. Surgery wasn't an option, it was too far along. When it  
got to the point that I could no longer travel, Pilar stayed with me,  
comforted me. I got weaker and weaker, and knew my time with her was  
running out. I had to tell her to go. I couldn't stand to see her still young  
and beautiful face knowing she was going to live for centuries and I  
couldn't be with her. That face that took my breath away for years had  
become a bitter reminder of my mortality. Most of all, I didn't want her  
to see me slowly fade away. I wanted her to remember me as I was. And I  
wanted her to love someone who could stay with her.  
  
After accepting my plea, I knew it was hard for her to leave and it only  
made me love her. Pilar kissed me and squeezed my hand. I closed my  
eyes as the scent of her lingered in the air. When I felt her touch  
withdraw and heard the door shut, no sweet perfume ever tortured me  
more.  
  
I can't lay here just remembering Pilar anymore for fear I will break. With  
the last bit of strength I have left, and with the help of a round-the-clock  
nurse who will tend to me as I pass through the valley of the shadow of  
death, I walk outside to lift my gaze to the empty skies above. The air is  
thick with humidity and there's no relief from wind. I settled into the old  
rocking chair on the porch and dream of gardens in the desert sand. I  
dream of my Desert Rose.   
  
I hear her voice. It's so clear. It must be the medication playing tricks on  
my mind. But no, I open my eyes to see the most exquisite sight I ever  
beheld. Pilar stands right in front of me. She kneels down by my leg and  
takes my hand. My lungs may be giving out, my body is slowing down,  
betraying me, but my heart and spirit are leaping for joy. She's back.   
  
Pilar closes my eyes with little kisses on my lids. She tells me not to  
speak. I can't help thinking how lucky I am to have her in my life, and  
back again. I can't think about anything but her and our glorious life  
together.   
  
Pilar tugs on my hand and puts her arm behind my back to lift me out of  
the chair. She helps me back inside the house and lays me on the bed.  
Then, my desert rose lies next to me. She tells me, "Dream, Querido. Just  
dream." I dream of love as time runs through my hand.  
  
  
DESERT ROSE   
by Sting From "Brand New Day"   
  
(0pening--Indian/Arabic singer)   
  
I dream of rain (ee-lay-a-lay)   
I dream of gardens in the desert sand   
I wake in pain (ee lay a lay)   
I dream of love as time runs through my hand   
  
I dream of fire (ee lay a lay)   
These dreams are tied to a horse that will never tire   
And in the flames (ee lay a lay)   
Her shadows play in the shape of a man's desire   
  
This desert rose (ee lay a lay)   
Each of her veils a secret promise   
This desert flower (ee lay a lay)   
No sweet perfume ever tortured me more than this   
  
And as she turns (ee lay a lay)   
This way she moves in the logic of all my dreams   
This fire burns (ee lay a lay)   
I realize that nothing's as it seems   
  
I dream of rain (ee lay a lay)   
I dream of gardens in the desert sand   
I wake in pain (ee lay a lay)   
I dream of love as time runs through my hand   
  
I dream of rain (ee lay a lay)   
I lift my gaze to the empty skies above   
I close my eyes, this rare perfume   
Is the sweet intoxication of her love   
  
I dream of rain (ee lay a lay)  
I dream of gardens in the desert sand   
I wake in pain (ee lay a lay)  
I dream of love as time runs through my hand   
  
Sweet desert rose (ee lay a lay)  
Each of her veils a secret promise   
This desert flower (ee lay a lay)  
No sweet perfume ever tortured me more than this   
  
Sweet desert rose (ee lay a lay)  
This memory of Eden haunts us all   
This desert flower, this rare perfume   
Is the sweet intoxication of the fall   
  
  
THE END 


End file.
